A-State Announces Provost's Challenge Research Seed Fund is Taking Applications

09/20/2024

A faculty member engages in research at A-State.

JONESBORO - Arkansas State University is announcing the launch of a new seed fund opportunity aimed at enhancing externally sponsored research growth: the Provost's Challenge Research Seed Fund.

This initiative, championed by Provost Calvin White, is designed to invest directly in faculty success and foster innovative research across all fields of study. The Faculty Research Awards Committee (FRAC) will oversee this new program, with applications opening immediately in the fall 2024 cycle.

The Provost's Challenge Research Seed Fund will provide tenure-track faculty members with up to $60,000 total over two years to support their research endeavors. The goal is to "seed" projects that will lead to competitive grant proposals from external sponsors. Faculty researchers are encouraged to use these funds to collect and analyze data, review literature, explore archives, or create works that will form the basis of sponsored grant proposals.

Chancellor Todd Shields expressed his enthusiasm for the new programs, stating, "Our team has worked to foster an environment of research, discovery, innovation and creative endeavors. The Provost's Challenge Research Seed Fund is a testament to our commitment to these institutional priorities and our dedication to supporting our faculty in their pursuit of groundbreaking research."

Priority will be given to applicants who have identified specific sponsors and grant opportunities that could result in external funding of $500,000 or more, including for education, outreach and training research grants. As with all FRAC opportunities this year, applications are due Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, by 5 p.m., with awards announced in January 2025.

Provost Calvin White commented, "I am incredibly grateful for the leadership of Dr. Travis Marsico, vice provost for research, innovation, and discovery, and his team. Their efforts in growing research and investing back into our faculty have been key for making this new seed fund a reality."

Funding will begin on July 1, 2025, and continue through June 30, 2027. As with other Faculty Research Awards Committee (FRAC) opportunities, the application process will run through the InfoReady platform accessible on my.AState.

Chief Financial Officer Russ Hannah highlighted the financial impact of investing in the research mission, noting, "Investing in our research mission has already shown meaningful financial returns. This allows us to accelerate research growth and continue to support our faculty in their innovative pursuits."

Luna Acosta, director of technology transfer, underscored the program's role in cultivating a vibrant research environment, stating, "The Provost's Challenge Research Seed Fund is a transformative initiative, poised to catalyze a new era of innovation and commercialization at A-State. By providing crucial support at the earliest, most critical stages of research and development in the technology transfer lifecycle, we empower our faculty to translate their groundbreaking ideas into tangible solutions with real-world impact."

Molly Alexander-Steele, executive director for research development, expressed her excitement for the new initiative, saying, "RTT is thrilled about this new seed funding initiative. This support will allow investigators to prove the feasibility of their research studies and gather preliminary data while optimizing resources, which will increase the chances of securing larger, highly competitive grants. We are ecstatic to support A-State investigators as they launch their research efforts forward."

"Thanks to Provost White's leadership on this key issue for advancing research, new institutional investments in research operations are allowing us to reimagine how we can use university funds to invest in research growth and creative activities," Marsico said. "This new Provost's Challenge Research Seed Fund program is just the first in a series of new direct internal research supports that have been made possible by new institutional investments in research."

Marsico also pointed to A-State's status as a public research institution classified as having high research activity, and said the institution has entered a new era of research expansion for the betterment of the people of Arkansas, the USA, and around the world.

For more information about the Provost's Challenge Research Seed Fund, one may visit the Arkansas State University Research and Technology website or contact RTT, [email protected] or (870) 972-2694.

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